Blackness Primary School closure decision: letter to Falkirk Council
Letter from Learning Directorate, to Falkirk Council, with decision to close Blackness Primary School.
To: Jon Reid
From: Orlando Mason, Deputy Director, Workforce, Infrastructure and Digital Learning Directorate
09 April 2025
Dear Jon,
Schools (consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010: Falkirk Council – Blacknesss Primary School
I refer to your email of 14 February 2025 notifying Scottish Ministers of Falkirk Council’s decision of 13 February 2025 to implement the proposal to close Blackness Primary School. Ministers have considered this proposal in line with the requirements set out in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 (“the 2010 Act”).
Under section 17 of the 2010 Act, Ministers may only issue a call-in notice if it appears to them that the education authority may have failed:
(a) in a significant regard to comply with the requirements imposed on it by (or under) the
Act so far as they are relevant in relation to the closure proposal, or
(b) to take proper account of a material consideration relevant to its decision to implement
the proposal.
Section 15(2) of the 2010 Act requires an education authority to provide a copy of the proposal paper and the consultation report prepared under the Act to Ministers when notifying them of a closure proposal.
Section 15(4) of the 2010 Act requires Ministers to take into account any relevant representations made to them by any person during the three week period from the date that a closure decision is made. In relation to this closure proposal, the three week period began on 13 February 2025 and expired on 5 March 2025. Two representations were received within the three-week period along with a further eight pieces of correspondence.
Having reviewed the documents provided by Falkirk Council under section 15(2) and considered all relevant representations made under section 15(4), Ministers consider that Falkirk Council has fulfilled its obligations under the 2010 Act and do not intend to issue a call-in notice for this proposal.
Falkirk Council may now implement its decision to close Blackness Primary School in line with the timescales set out in its proposal paper. As noted in Education Scotland’s report on the proposal, Falkirk Council should ensure that children and families are well-supported in their transition to Grange Primary School.
Yours sincerely,
Orlando Mason
Deputy Director, Workforce, Infrastructure and Digital Learning Directorate
